The SIMATIC ODK 1500S supports the development of dynamically loadable function libraries that can be called up directly from the S7-1500 Software Controller user program. Loadable libraries can be generated here both under Windows (DLL) as well as in the real-time context (SO – shared object) of the ODK-capable software controller.

Generation of loadable libraries

Generation of loadable function libraries takes place with Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows library applications and with Eclipse (included in scope of delivery) for real-time function libraries. By creating a project with the help of a pre-defined template, users can begin immediately with the definition and implementation of the functions.

On completion of a function library, function blocks are available that can be integrated directly into STEP7 and used for loading and executing the functions from the control program.

The function libraries themselves are available following completion as DLL (Windows libraries) or SO file (shared object – real-time libraries). Real-time libraries are loaded into the load memory of the controller by its Web server so that they can also be loaded and executed independently of Windows.

For Windows libraries, the complete function range can be used for Windows DLLs. Development is carried out with Visual Studio; the following versions are supported:

• Visual Studio 2010
• Visual Studio 2012
• Visual Studio 2013
• Visual Studio Express 2013
• Visual Studio 2015
• Visual Studio Express 2015

The integrated development environment Eclipse, required for developing real-time libraries, is included in the scope of delivery of ODK 1500S.

Testing function libraries

Windows libraries can be fully debugged with Visual Studio. Thanks to the asynchronous execution of functions under Windows, the real-time characteristics of the software controller are not impaired even if single-step or breakpoints are used.

A powerful trace concept is available for real-time libraries as single-step processing or breakpoints are not feasible under real-time conditions. To verify the code with single-step processing or breakpoints despite this, the functions of a real-time library can be called up and tested within a test environment on the development PC. In addition, a memory map of the ODK application is generated when software exceptions occur. This can be used to determine the cause of the exception in the Eclipse development environment.